I Like You
by Grbgcn2
Summary: Reigen felt his heart twist.


**11**

"I like you, Shishou." Mob muttered while looking down at his takoyaki.

Reigen froze, takoyaki hallway to his mouth. He set it back down on the paper tray and cleared his throat.

_It's just a childish crush- adoration -that's all_, his mind whispered. _He just thinks you're cool._

"Thanks, Mob. I like you, too." he cleared his throat again, coughed. "You're a nice kid." he picked up his takoyaki ball and popped it in his mouth. "Now eat," he jutted out his chin. "Or your food will go cold."

"Okay." Mob picked up the tray, a small smile on his face as he chewed on it. He looked so content, eating takoyaki with a man he thought was the same as him.

Reigen felt his heart twist.

**12**

"Here." Mob says as he thrusts the neatly wrapped red box out.

Reigen just stares at it. "What's this?"

"Chocolate," Mob replies dumbly. "It's Valentine's day, today, Shishou."

"No, I know that Mob," Reigen clarifies. "I'm just- why are you giving it to me?"

"Oh, um," Mob blushes, ducking his face. "They're a thank you gift from me."

"For?"

"Being my friend."

Reigen's heart twists a little more.

"A-and," Mob continues, "a way to say that I like you for being my friend."

Another twist.

"Thank you, Mob." Reigen says in a thick voice. "I like that you're my friend too."

Mob looks up at him with a red face and a smile.

**13**

"Shishou."

Reigen looks down at slightly red faced Mob. He's wearing a party hat atop his head and fidgety a lot. "Hmm?"

"Can I ask you for something?"

"Anything." Everything.

Reigen sips his drink, waiting for Mob to answer.

"Can you kiss me?"

He spits it out.

"What?!" He coughs.

"Can you kiss me?" Mob repeats, as he takes his hat off. He bows his head slightly towards Reigen. "On the head."

_Jesus, Mob!_ Reigen screams internally. _You can't just say that!_ But none the less, gives in. He can never say no to Mob (sometimes). He tries so hard not to notice how soft Mob's hair is or how it smells like- _hmm_ -milk (_yum_).

"Thank you, Shishou." Mob puts the hat back on. "I like your kisses."

Reigen tries hard not to choke on air.

**14**

"I love you."

Reigen lets out a heavy sigh, setting his drink down. "I know."

"Then-"

"I'm sorry, I can't accept them."

"Is it because I'm an esper?" Mob demands. "Are you afraid of me? Afraid that I'll hurt you one day with them?"

"What? No!" Reigen shakes his head. "Where did you- nevermind. It's because you're too young."

"But-"

"_No_." Reigen emphasizes. "You're too young."

Mob just huffs and leaves, slamming the door on the way out.

Reigen places his head in his hands and groans.

**18**

"So, you ready?"

Mob glances at Reigen. "Not really. I'm kinda nervous."

"Don't worry," he clasps Mob shoulder. "I was like that too. It goes away after a while. All it takes is time."

"No, it won't," Mob mutters. "I doubt it ever will."

"Mob-" Reigen warns.

"Reigen." Mob faces him. "I'm eighteen, already. An adult."

"No you're not." Reigen argues. "You're still-"

"Too young, I know."

Reigen lets out a frustrated noise. "Can we please not fight? You're leaving today for university. I don't want you're last memory with me to be this."

"Fine." Mob grumbles after a pause. "But I want a kiss on the forehead- and an hug."

Reigen nods. "That's doable."

Mob closes his eyes as Reigen pushes his bangs out of his way. His heart is pounding as he presses his lips to Mob's forehead. Before he can pull away, Mob crushes him in a hug. He rests his head on his shoulder.

"I love you." Mob whispers in his ears as the bus comes thundering too a stop. "And I always will." He lets go.

Reigen doesn't say anything. Just watches as Mob boards the bus, on his way to find new adventures.

He stays there, hands in his pockets until the bus is nothing but a pinprick in the distance and even after, the sunset illuminating his back.

**21**

"I love you."

Mob lets out a broken laugh as more tears stream down his face.

"You idiot," Mob chides, a weak smile on his face. "That's not how I wanted you to say it."

"I know." Reigen says as he grabs his face, "this is." And pulls him in for a kiss. It's rough, full of tongue and teeth, tears and gasps. But sweet. (Bittersweet.) They part, breath ragged.

"Wow," Reigen gasps as he lays back down, chest heaving. "I should've kissed you a long time ago."

Mob just laughed, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. "Yeah, you should've."

Reigen died that night in his sleep, peacefully and quietly, as to not wake up the man next to him.

The last thing he saw as his eyes closed was a sleeping Mob, head in his lap, holding his hand.

Mob closed his eyes.

When he opened them, he was in a field of grass,the sun was shining brightly, a blue sky sailed overhead full of fluffy white clouds.

And he was a-.

"Oi, Mob."

Mob looked over his shoulder. Tears filled his eyes and cascaded down his cheeks.

"_Reigen_."

* * *

Some more context, I was just really lazy to write it up.  
11: just a random day  
12: Valentine's Day  
13: Mob's birthday  
14: Reigen's birthday  
18: a bus stop, Mob's leaving for Uni  
21: In College, visit home, hospital, Reigen is in accident (hit and run), he dying. Mob dies of old age.


End file.
